The Meadows School of the Arts, formally established in 1969 at SMU in Dallas, has achieved prominence as one of the foremost arts education institutions in the United States. Learn more about SMU Meadows

Meadows serves the public as a significant cultural center by presenting more than 400 events annually for the Dallas community and surrounding region. Read more about upcoming events and subscribe to our weekly newsletter, "This Week at Meadows".

The Meadows School of the Arts, formally established in 1969 at SMU in Dallas, has achieved prominence as one of the foremost arts education institutions in the United States. Learn more about SMU Meadows

Meadows serves the public as a significant cultural center by presenting more than 400 events annually for the Dallas community and surrounding region. Read more about upcoming events and subscribe to our weekly newsletter, "This Week at Meadows".

The Crayon is Mightier than the Sword in the Fight Against Alzheimer’s

SMU graduate and ‘artrepreneur’ Ken Morris releases coloring book to help fund Alzheimer’s research

Ken Morris (B.A. ’08, Cinema-Television and Religious Studies), an ‘artrepreneur’ (or artistic entrepreneur), is releasing his second coloring book, Paul and Friends: Again through Amazon’s CreateSpace. Earnings from the book will be donated directly to The USF Health Byrd Alzheimer’s Institute to help heal those affected by Alzheimer’s.

“I believe in bringing people together through the arts. What you do isn’t as important as why you do it,” said Morris, who edited and produced the coloring book.

Artist and illustrator Paul Evers has been affected directly by Alzheimer’s, losing his grandmother to the disease last year.

“My grandmother has been my inspiration to be an artist,” said Evers. “She used to always tell me, ‘You’re the best one.’ We’re donating the earnings from Volume 2 so that everyone’s grandma can say that to them.”

Kevin Eastman, creator of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, also has been an inspiration for Evers and Morris. About Paul and Friends, Eastman said, “Wow! Super Awesome! What a great concept for a great cause! My very best wishes to [them]!”

Evers and Morris have a strong history of combining science and the arts. They began their professional career on the film Obselidia, which competed for the Grand Jury Prize at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival. It won several awards, including the Alfred P. Sloan Science Prize. Since that project they’ve written half a dozen scripts, shot several short films, created a boutique production company called Resplendent Entertainment, and published the first volume of Paul and Friends. Volume 2 represents their latest effort to create art that directly benefits the community. Future releases of the coloring book series will benefit other organizations.